Microscope

Today's research, tomorrow's breakthroughs.

Vannevar Bush stated in his seminal report, Science: the Endless Frontier that:

“Basic research leads to new knowledge. It provides scientific capital. It creates the fund from which the practical applications of knowledge must be drawn. New products and new processes do not appear full-grown. They are founded on new principles and new conceptions, which in turn are painstakingly developed by research in the purest realms of science.”

It is with these concepts in mind, that the Basic Research Office (BRO) approaches its role in oversight and management of DoD’s basic research investments. Additionally, BRO sets scientific priorities aimed toward ensuring DoD is a leader in scientific discovery and identifying new paths for investigation. The office is responsible for setting Department policy for grants, and manages programs including: the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, the Minerva Research Initiative, Historically Black Colleges & Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program, as well as a number of pilot programs meant to rethink the Department’s approach to managing and maturing basic research investments.

  • Defense Established Programs to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR)

    The Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) aims to increase the number of university researchers and improve the capabilities of institutions of higher education in eligible jurisdictions to perform competitive basic research in science & engineering relevant to the DoD mission and reflect national security priorities.

  • STIX
    The Science, Technology, Innovation Exchange (STIX) was originally piloted in 2017, with the intent of communicating the big ideas, positive social impacts, and disruptive capabilities that have resulted from DoD S&T investments.  The event included a series of lightning (up to 12 minute) talks in fields of science, technology, and STEM, that were presented by DoD personnel and DoD sponsored participants, from across the Department and that span careers from graduate students to senior researchers.
  • I-Corps @ DoD

    I-Corps @ DoD is a partnership with the National Science Foundation to provide DoD-funded researchers with training from experienced entrepreneurs in how to commercialize their innovations. BRO is also looking to establish bridges that will allow teams who have completed the training to more seamlessly mature innovations into products that may enter DoD programs of record. 

  • The Laboratory University Collaboration Initiative (LUCI)
    The Laboratory University Collaboration Initiative (LUCI) started in 2016 to identify, and competitively fund, three-year basic research collaborations between leading scientists at the DoD laboratories and the Vannevar Bush fellows at US universities in fields of critical interest to the Department.
  • Bilateral Academic Research Initiative (BARI)

    The Bilateral Academic Research Initiative (BARI) focuses on high-risk basic research in science and engineering as a bilateral academic collaboration, and supports academic teams to combine unique skillsets and approaches and provide rapid advances in scientific areas of mutual potential interest to both countries.

Basic Research News

DOD Awards $43 Million to U.S. Universities to Purchase Equipment for Defense-Related Research Story
Register Now for the 2025 VBFF Competition Webinar! Story
DOD Announces 2024 Vannevar Bush Fellows to Pursue Breakthrough Research Story

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